The Old Testament prophets had quite a calling. Delivering God’s message to people that often didn’t like what they heard and persecuted them because of it.
Jeremiah spent his days announcing Gods wrath and judgement and because of that, he was hated by most. They didn’t like the bad news they were hearing about their impending judgement, although they seemed to miss the parts where God had told them to repent and he would spare them.
This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ “But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward. (Jeremiah 7:23, 24 NLT)
And as uncomfortable as Jeremiah was with his job, he simply could not keep quiet. The word of God was burning in his heart.
But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it! (Jeremiah 20:9 NLT)
Jesus has assigned those of us who know the truth a similar job, although the news is good.
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. (Mark 16:15 NLT)
Message: We are all hopeless sinners, unable to save ourselves. The punishment for sin is death. But God loves us and wants to save us from hell, so he sent Jesus to die on the cross and pay our debt. Only if we believe in him can his death be credited to our account. Only through faith in that gift can our sins be wiped away. And then we will know that our eternity with God is a done deal.
Yet even this good news is not received well by many. People would prefer to make their own road to salvation. They want to make it broad enough to leave themselves some leeway. But Jesus warned us about the broad road.
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. (Matthew 7:13 NIV84)
Hopefully despite the persecution…the charges that we’re offending people…the fact that even some claiming to be Christians are trying to broaden the road to make it more acceptable…
Hopefully those of us who know the truth will keep on spreading it anyway because its burning in our heart.